


to remember them

by DegrassiFanatic



Series: to remember them as [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Forgiveness, Gen, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Injuries, School Dances, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-17 17:52:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14194452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DegrassiFanatic/pseuds/DegrassiFanatic
Summary: Jughead wants to take a mental picture, he wants to be able to live in this memory for when he needs to. Then, Sweet Pea walks over and kisses him hard and he realizes he doesn’t need a mental picture to be able to live in this happiness. He has Sweet Pea, hopefully for the rest of his life.-----------read the part 1 or not you know, no one's forcing you





	to remember them

**Author's Note:**

  * For [siriuslyrose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriuslyrose/gifts), [Multifangirl69](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multifangirl69/gifts), [MidnightBlueMoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightBlueMoon/gifts), [evolretla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/evolretla/gifts).



> hi yes, i may have a problem with always making jughead get beat up in fics. Also the bughead and vughead friendship in this fic gives me life. Also some strong language and mentions of sex happen

He is not moping around. Jughead Jones does not mope around, especially after his girlfriend became his ex-girlfriend.

 

It was for the best anyways, deep down he knows that. He knew that they weren’t going to work out in the end, that their love just wasn’t enough to keep things going. He loves Betty, will love her until his dying days. But, he also kissed Sweet Pea while they were dating or whatever limbo he and Betty were in. Betty Cooper deserves better than the mess that is Jughead Jones.

 

If they kept dating, they would both eventually start hating each other. Jughead doesn’t want that to happen and if heartbreak is how they stop that from happening, then he’ll break his heart twenty times over to keep Betty Cooper in his life. She was special, she was his first everything. You never really get over your first, you still love them afterwards, just differently.

 

So, that’s why Jughead is _not_ moping around in his trailer. He just happens to enjoy watching sad films and not eating anything but popcorn. He’s _not_ moping because he was the one that cheated on her, he doesn’t get to mope. Another Thursday night in the Jones’ household.

 

He’s watching Prayers for Bobby because he likes to torture himself. He’s at the part where Bobby’s mom is giving her emotional speech in front of everyone. Jughead’s a man and he’s going to own up to the fact that he is a mess of tears now. Only a heartless human wouldn’t be.

 

Then, he hears a knock and he curses the universe for its horrible timing. He gets up from his blankets and pillows on the sofa, to answer the door. Jughead is continuing to grumble because when he looks through the door, it’s Sweet Pea. He quickly wipes his tears with the back of his hand before opening the door.

 

“What do you want?” he snaps because he’s allowed to snap, he has a broken heart.

 

“What’s with the attitude-” Sweet Pea pauses as he gets a good look at Jug’s face, “Wait, have you been crying? Is this about Betty?”

 

He hates it when Sweet Pea gets worried because it messes with him. His voice gets all soft and his face no longer has his permanent scowl. Sweet Pea turns into a gentle person and it fucks with his sexuality. He’s also suddenly aware he doesn’t have a shirt on and he’s only wearing pajamas.

 

“No, no. It’s not about Betty.” Jughead says and refuses to explain the situation.

 

Sweet Pea gives him an expectant look as his hand shoots up to grab onto his shoulder. He’s doing the _thing_ again and really Jughead should be more stern and determined about his answers but, the moment Sweet Pea looks at him, he gives in.

 

“Fine, I was watching Prayers for Bobby. It’s a very emotional movie. I bet if you saw it, you would cry too.” Jughead reveals unwillingly.

 

“Whatever, just get some real clothes on. We’re going shopping.” he declared, as he pushed Jughead out of the way of the doorway and walked inside.

 

“I’m sorry, why the hell are we going shopping?”

 

“Unless you already have this exact shade of green in a tie?” Sweet Pea asked as he held out a green tie that was almost the exact same colour of the green of Serpents.

 

“Wait, wait, wait. What the fuck is going on?” Jughead started to question.

 

“Let me explain this,” he said like he was talking to a toddler, “You and I are going to the dance tomorrow. You are not allowed to say no because if you do, I will tackle you.”

 

Little did Sweet Pea know, that’s what he wanted.

 

“Fine, Jesus Christ, I’ll go with you.” he replied as he shook those images from his head. Now was not the time.

 

He tried to put together a decent outfit but, it was incredibly difficult when he was aware that Sweet Pea was following his every movement with his eyes. Finally, he decided on a grey and black flannel with some ripped jeans. He decided to forego his Serpent jacket because in the Northside, it’ll be a target on his back.

 

Jughead looks into the mirror one last time and then reaches for his keys.

 

“Ready?” Sweet Pea asks.

 

“Yeah.” and with that, they leave for the mall.

 

* * *

 

They’re in the suit shop that’s far too fancy for Jughead to know its name. It’s going perfectly fine until he spots a blonde and brunette coming into the shop with no redhead in sight. He does his best to hide himself but, then he realizes he’s standing with the tallest guy in the entire store who’s wearing a Serpent jacket.

 

It takes no less than five minutes for him to hear Betty’s voice call out for him. He leaves Sweet Pea with a mumbled _‘I’ll be back’._

 

“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asked with faked nonchalance.

 

“I’m just here with Veronica, she’s returning the tie she bought for Archie.” Betty answered and his heart aches because now they’re strangers and that hurts. It shouldn’t because this was his fault.

 

“Oh, why? Was it not the right colour?”

 

“Uh, no. Actually,” she pauses before she begins to explain, “Veronica’s not going to the dance with Archie. She and him broke up. Veronica and I are going together, like together-together.”

 

Jughead doesn’t quite understand at first, until he realizes that she and Veronica are going as each other’s dates, romantic dates.

 

“When did you realize, you liked her?” Jug questions because he’s a sadistic piece of shit.

 

“You know the day I ditched before the big game? I was gone to Pop’s to talk to Veronica and then one thing led to another and we kissed. Then, she went to break up with Archie. He was understandably hurt but, he supported us. I wanted to tell you but, then you called to break up with me. It was bad but, I was so relieved.”

 

“Betty, I kissed someone else too, the day of the game. That’s why I broke up with you. I am so sorry, I’m such a bad person. I didn’t deserve you.” he blurts out. He needs to tell Betty this, it’s necessary.

 

“Hey, Jughead, look at me.” she gently demands as she pulls his chin towards her, “We both kissed other people. We were both kept trying to imagine each other as other people. I’m not saying we didn’t love each other, we did. But, we kept pushing each other to be other people.”

 

“I’m the one who kept pushing you away, maybe if I was better we wouldn’t have to imagine other people.”

 

“Jughead, the day you kissed another, you thought it was best that we shouldn’t continue our relationship. If anything you were the better person. Jughead, you’re still my friend, I don’t want that to stop.” Betty finished with some unshed tears in her eyes.

 

“I’m still sorry though.” he insisted as he pulled her into a hug.

 

A hug that was shortly afterwards interrupted by Veronica calling out for Betty and Sweet Pea calling out for Jughead.

 

“See you at the dance?”

 

“Save me a dance, Elizabeth Cooper.” he says as a goodbye before he leaves to go to Sweet Pea.

 

Sweet Pea shows him the tie he found and asks for his opinion before buying it. He seems a little bitter about his and Betty’s embrace.

 

“You two looked cozy.” he commented as he walks with Jughead to the register.

 

“You, my friend, just witnessed some hardcore healing.” he responds as he gives the cashier his money.

 

A part of him is glad that Sweet Pea was jealous about his and Betty’s hug. It’s the only evidence of the other’s affections. Something that proves that the kiss had happened.

 

* * *

 

They’re walking to the exit when Sweet Pea pulls him to a stop in front of the pet shop.

 

“Oh my god, Jughead look. It’s a puppy. Look at him, he’s so cute.” he exclaimed, as he started to get a closer look at the little guy in the cage.

 

Jughead is staring at Sweet Pea with a soft look in his eyes and it’s really ridiculous. They still haven’t talked about the kiss and Jughead’s sure that means he’s getting rejected. Maybe it was just a spur in the moment thing for the other boy.

 

“Jughead look at him, his name’s Baxter.” he said as he kept moving around like an overgrown puppy himself.

 

“Well, look who it is? Southside scumbag number one and number two.” Reggie Mantle spoke out from behind them _and of course his luck would run out_.

 

“Hey Mantle, you stay the fuck away from us.” Sweet Pea snarled as he took Jughead’s hand and pulled him away and towards the direction of the exit.

 

“Going suit shopping for the dance?” Reggie observed as he started to walk "Oh, I see you’re both going together. Isn’t that cute the fag-”

 

“Finish that sentence, I dare you.” he snaps.

 

“Isn’t it cute the faggot found his prince?”

 

Jughead is suddenly very grateful that they are standing near the exit because Sweet Pea is smart and pulls Reggie out the doors, then he throws the first punch.

 

Jug lets the taller boy get a few hits on Reggie before he decides to pull them apart. That turns out to be a big mistake because Reggie decides to punch him in the face.

 

_If my nose is broken, I’m going to strangle him._

 

Reggie makes a smart move and runs off into the mall, he knows if he stays Sweet Pea will punch the living daylights out of him.

 

“Hey, you alright?” and he’s doing the _thing_ again.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Not as bad as last time, just let’s go home.”

 

He knows he probably looks like a mess, hair sticking out, blood on his face, blood running down his flannel. Jughead wants to go home as soon as possible but, Sweet Pea has a different idea because he grabs his arm and pulls him close.

 

It feels much too like the prelude to a kiss but, then he pulls a tissue and wipes his face of blood. A part of him is disappointed but, not surprised.

 

Then, he is surprised. Sweet Pea shrugs off his Serpent jacket and is handing it to Jughead. He accepts it easily, he doesn’t want to be walking home with a giant blood stain on his flannel.

 

The walk home is quiet because Jughead is moping again but, not about Betty this time. They’re halfway to the trailer park when the silence is finally broken.

 

“Alright, out with it.” Sweet Pea interrupts his moping, it catches him off guard before he realizes.

 

“I want to talk about the kiss.” he says carefully, wondering if this would push him into a fit of rage.

 

“Fine, let’s talk about the kiss. I want to kiss you again, and again, and again. Maybe even at one point fuck you once we get to the sixth date.”

 

“Ask me out on a date first before you start planning.” Jughead spluttered out with a blush.

 

“I did. We’re going to the dance tomorrow, that’s our first date.”

 

“I thought you were asking me as a friend.”

 

Sweet Pea just sighs and stops walking. He moves his hand to the bolt of Jughead’s jaw and pulls him in for a kiss. A part of him is worried, anyone could see, Reggie could see, the serpents could see, Alice could see. All those concerns disappear when Jughead starts moving his lips.

 

“Is it obvious now?” he whispers.

 

“I might need another just to be sure.” Jug answers back.

* * *

 

Jughead keeps looking in the mirror, making sure his tie is properly knotted and his hair is neat. He borrowed some makeup from Betty to cover up his bruise. He’s been to a dance before, albeit it was in middle school, it was still a dance.

 

He’s never been asked out to a dance before, never asked out by a guy.

 

Jughead’s about to have an entire crisis before his dad walks into his room, telling him Sweet Pea’s waiting for him.

 

He wanders out to the living room and hopes his dad isn’t doing the stereotypical thing where he’s telling his date to not break his heart and to bring him home by curfew, even though he doesn’t have a curfew.

 

Jughead is pleasantly surprised when his dad just leaves to his shift at Pop’s with a _‘have fun’._

 

“Did he give you a hard time?”

 

“Nah.” he opens up his suit jacket and grabs something out to show him, “He is just very worried.”

 

When Sweet Pea opens his fist, he reveals a condom. _Of course_. FP had never been the most subtle of parents.

 

“He’s very adamant that we use protection.” Sweet Pea added with a laugh.

 

For the first time he’s walked into the room, he takes a good look at the boy. He looks amazing and he makes him speechless. Jughead wonders how this guy ever came to like someone like him.

 

“You look nice.” he attempts to compliment the boy.

 

“Don’t look too bad yourself.” Sweet Pea whispers as he pulls Jughead into a kiss.

 

They kiss for so long but, not long enough. They’re interrupted by a phone call from Toni, demanding to know where they are and why they are late.

 

* * *

 

During the dance, they attempt to keep things on the down low. It’s almost impossible because he keeps doing the _thing_ to the shorter boy. Jughead, deciding enough is enough, takes his arm during a slow song and pulls him to the dance floor.

 

“Everyone’s going to see us.”

 

“Let them. I want to dance with my handsome date.”

 

They’re not even dancing, just swaying to the music. There’s no space between them, Jughead’s got his head in the crook of the other’s neck. It’s quite nice to be able to just exist for a few minutes.

 

They stay like this until Betty taps on Sweet Pea’s shoulder, “May I cut in?”

 

“Sure but don’t get too handsy Cooper.” he warns as he walks over to Veronica to take Betty’s place.

 

Jughead tries to lead but, Betty just maneuvers his hands so, that she is leading.

 

“I’m sorry.” they both say at the same time and then start to laugh. And that’s how he wants to remember him and Betty, happy.

 

“So, Sweet Pea huh? I wouldn’t have guessed.” she begins.

 

“Neither did I. You and Veronica though? It wasn’t a surprise.” he retorts.

 

“Was it that obvious?” Betty asks with a blush settled onto her face.

 

“No. More like if you were going to fall in love with a girl, it would be Veronica. I know you Betty Cooper.”

 

If they were still dating, they would’ve kissed by now. Now, though, now they fist bump and both their shoulders are free of the weight that they used to carry.

 

\------

 

“I can’t believe you’re leading. I’m the supposed to be.” Sweet Pea complained as he felt Veronica’s hands settle on his waist.

 

“Yeah, well I never get to lead.” she explains, “Guys never let me lead and Betty insists on leading as well.”

 

“You and Jughead?” Veronica asks.

 

“He’s not the worst human being when he isn’t driven by some vendetta.” he replies trying to be as casual as he can.

 

“Yeah, well, treat him right.” she advised with a serious look on her face, “He and I may not be in the best place for our friendship but, I still care about him.”

 

“I will. I promise.”

 

They start dancing ridiculously because at this point who cares. Veronica even attempts to dip him at one point which ends just as you think it would.

 

Jughead wants to take a mental picture, he wants to be able to live in this memory for when he needs to. Then, Sweet Pea walks over and kisses him hard and he realizes he doesn’t need a mental picture to be able to live in this happiness. He has Sweet Pea, hopefully for the rest of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading, big thanks to siriuslyrose, Multifangirl69, shelton-devers (MidnightBlueMoon), and Zess (aloizess) for their kind words which gave me the motivation to write a part two.


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